Archive for the 'sleight of hand' Category

This is my very first podcast. I recorded this with my good friends Alex Slemmer and Steve Johnson. We did it at Steve’s store, my favorite magic shop on the west coast – Grand Illusions. If you’re ever up in the Sacramento area, make sure to stop by and say hello.

If you’re in the area, make sure to come to my lecture at Grand Illusions on March 19 – I’ll be signing copies of my new DVD, Search & Destroy featuring The Nowhere Pass.

After you listen to the podcast, post a comment with your thoughts! I’d love to read them.

I launched the new Aaronfishermagic site this morning, and the response was positive. So positive, in fact that happy card men (like YOU!) overloaded the server this afternoon. For a little while, the new videos weren’t playing and pages weren’t loading. Thankfully, all that’s over now.

The cause of all the ruckus was the unveiling of trailers for my two new products. Both of these babies will be released on March 17th, but today, you got the first peak.

Click here to watch the preview for Search and Destroy featuring The Nowhere Pass

What do YOU think? Drop a comment or question here.

After you watch the trailers, drop me a comment to let me know what you think. This is also a good place to ask questions about the product. Then check back on this post over the coming days and read the answers.

Thanks again for your visit, and for making the launch of the new aaronfishermagic.com such a success!

Assuming you intend to do a classic pass as a sleight, not as a color change, visual vanish or appearance, you’ll want to avoid this common error.

What’s wrong with this picture? We’ve all done it, trying to master the ‘fast’, invisible pass that so many card men seek. This is the ‘frame up’ – and whether or not you think it makes your pass look better, it almost certainly makes it feel worse. It doesn’t matter what you say, do, or where you attempt to focus the attention of your audience. If your hands are tensed and ‘framed up’ this way, your audience will focus on the source of all that tension – your hands. Remember, if you want to do a natural, unsuspicious pass – stay loose!

When Vernon said the shift must be accomplished at the very moment your hands come together at the pack, he meant it.

Many shift workers spend countless hours working on a pass which might be called invisible, and next to no time working on ways to ensure the success of their labor in actual performance.

Check out the photos – if your set out for the pass looks this way, you don’t stand a chance. The moment the audience can see a line or a break, if they even know there are two packets in play, you’ve lost all hope of making the shift without suspicion.

Does your pass make use of an ultra clean break? Let me know. We’d all love to know your thoughts, so tell us!

Many card workers seem to think the secret of the classic pass is to use the left fingers to pull the upper half around the lower as quickly as possible. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even if you manage to help the appearance of the shift from the perspective of a spectator watching from directly above, pulling with the left fingers guarantees a flash on your right side. That’s right folks! If you want to eliminate visible finger movement from the shift, you have to stop moving your fingers! Crazy, huh?

Remember to use your left fingers as little as possible. These digits will always want to move, but your shift will succeed only to the extent you can keep this impulse under control!

Your Turn

Do you pull with your left fingers when you do the pass? Tell us where you learned this habit, and what you’ve noticed it’s effects are on the shift and the way you use it – and don’t worry, with a little practice, you can unlearn any habit you choose!

If you’ve recently decided to get serious about close-up card magic, here’s a tip that may make you a little angry. You’ll thank me one day.

Don’t Practice with a close-up pad!

photo by Jason Dean

When my teachers first gave me this advice, I was about 18 years old. At the time, I loved my close-up pad and carried it everywhere. I broke it out all the time –either to do a few tricks or just to practice. Not only did it make my magic look more “professional”, it made a lot of handling, like shuffling the cards, much easier to perform.

I trusted my teachers, generally speaking, but even so, I put up a fight. After all, if I was faced with a glass table, I could barely even pick up the deck. It took me a few months to finally get the point.

Real sleight of hand under any conditions

One of the most seductive aspects card magic is the promise of real miracles, done any time, anywhere and with any deck of cards. It only took a year or so (maybe two) to learn how to handle cards effectively on a hard service.

Since that time I sometimes use a close-up pad in performance, but I never have to fear performing because I don’t have a close-up pad and can’t work without one. It’s a feeling of comfort you’ll always appreciate.

The campers at Sorcerer’s Safari learn these important lessons much younger than I did. It’s an awesome thing to see. One morning last August, just a few days into camp, I opened my cabin door one morning to find a gift from one of

In the 6 years since the publication of the Gravity Half Pass in The Paper Engine, many workers have added the sleight to their repertoires. Further, I’ve met guys who said their own ability with the move improved greatly after watching me do the sleight in person.

After all, when you’re in the midst of serious sleight of hand study, and can be very helpful to actually see the move in action.

If you have The Paper Engine, these short clips will help you practice. With a little patience, you can achieve similar results. This sleight can be immediate, soft and all but angle proof. It looks like real magic.

Now check it out from the front!

Now that you’ve had a chance to see the move, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Does this demonstration give you a feel for how the move should really look? Drop a comment and let me know!

With Thanks,

Aaron

P.S. If you want to find out what more readers have to say about The Paper Engine, click to read the comments here.